Column:

Current Issue:

Volume:

35

Issue:

6

Scientists around the world have begun to hedge their bets and not count on society’s decarbonizing in time to avoid disruption to the Earth’s climate. Enter a once-taboo topic shunned by greens and governments alike — geoengineering, a suite of suggested technological remedies to solve the climate crisis or at least buy humanity more time to rid its energy and agricultural systems of greenhouse gas emissions.

Is geoengineering necessary? What techniques will be the most successful while minimizing downside risks? And who will answer these questions and begin any needed interventions in the Earth’s climate system?